Top global expert in maritime security Captain John J Driscoll has been officially confirmed as a speaker at the 2016 Qatar Maritime Security - Coastal and Border Surveillance Conference (QMARSEC), next month, in Doha, Qatar.

The event will take place on October 25.

Captain Driscoll's participation in this event reflects the confidence and support that this relatively young event is already enjoying from major militaries, notably the US, said a statement.

Captain John J Driscoll is Commodore – US Coast Guard, Patrol Forces Southwest Asia. Previously, he completed a tour as chief, drug and migrant interdiction, Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC, it said.

At sea, Captain Driscoll has commanded Coast Guard Cutters Thetis (WMEC 910), Nantucket (WPB 1316) and Matagorda (WPB 1303). Other afloat assignments include tours as officer in charge of a Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET); as Supply and then Operations Officer in USCGC MIDGETT (WHEC 726) highlighted by a 1999 deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf as part of the USS Constellation Carrier Battle Group; and as executive officer aboard USCGC Mohawk (WMEC 913) when the ship's major accomplishments included the response to the disaster caused by the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti, and Mohawk's deployment to Africa as part of the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP).  

Captain Driscoll holds a Bachelor's Degree in History from the Virginia Military Institute and a Master's Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College. Captain Driscoll is the first Coast Guard graduate of the United States Navy's Maritime Advanced Warfighting School.

QMARSEC 2016 is Qatar's Largest Maritime Security Conference and promises to be one of the highlights of the year, attracting delegates from all over the world to engage in discussions on the theme 'The Future of Automatic Identification System (AIS) Technologies and the Use of Unmanned Systems for Maritime Domain Awareness', said a statement.

Captain Driscoll said: “This conference is a magnificent opportunity for those of us involved in day-to-day maritime security operations to share our knowledge and experiences for our common benefit.”

“By learning from each other, we grow in understanding and catalyze great leaps forward - especially in terms of the technology we employ - to achieve our goals in a safer, more efficient manner,” he added.

Staff Brigadier (Pilot) Mohammed A Al Mannai, director, Qatar National Security Shield Project, said: "I'm personally very excited to announce Captain Driscoll as one of our expert presenters for the event.”

"His experience is second-to-none and I know that many of our delegates are very much looking forward to his unique insights,” he added.

Matthew Cochran, chairman and CEO of Defense Services Marketing Council (DSMC) said: "Captain Driscoll is a global leader in maritime security and his participation is a huge personal vote of support for the event, as well as a strong signal of support from the US Military.” – TradeArabia News Service